# Cohiba Esplendido serial number/letters...



## Uniputt (Nov 23, 2004)

Well...... I went out to the PGA Colonial Golf Tournament the other day, and they were selling (at two cigar booths) several decent brands of non-Cubans. And they also had some "Cuban" Romeo y Juliet Churchills en Tubos, and some "Cuban" Cohiba Esplendidos. 

Now I naturally assumed they were fake, but the sales person assured me that they weren't. (Same thing as last year.....) I still tend to think they are blowing smoke, if you know what I mean. Last year I bought one, and it was indeed delicious, but my palette has matured since then, and I think it may have very well been a conterfeit. My memory fails me frequently, though!  


Any how, I had been drinking way too many of their legendary margaritas, so I didn't look very closely at the seals.....(don't know if it would have done much good anyway, with blurred vision/memory loss/etc.....  ) But......I did notice that the green and white seal had a serial number beginning with "XX" and then the numbers. (Now I would figure that if they were going to sell fakes, they would at least have a real box with genuine stamps/seals/etc.)

Is this "XX" letter serial number prefix a dead giveaway that they are fakes?

I didn' t buy any, since I brought my own smokes with me, but was just curious about this.....


Oh, by the way......we had a great time there!!!


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## pinoyman (Jan 28, 2005)

http://www.clubstogie.com/vb/showthread.php?t=11540

*Must be a Revisados Amigo!*


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## MoTheMan (May 24, 2003)

Here's what I have to say:



Uniputt said:


> Well...... I went out to the PGA Colonial Golf Tournament the other day, and they were selling (at two cigar booths) several decent brands of non-Cubans. And they also had some "Cuban" Romeo y Juliet Churchills en Tubos, and some "Cuban" Cohiba Esplendidos. *Cubans!? Really?!*
> 
> Now I naturally assumed they were fake, but the sales person assured me that they weren't. *Of course they wreren't,*  (Same thing as last year.....) *Hmm! I sense a pattern.* I still tend to think they are blowing smoke, if you know what I mean. *I think they are. * Last year I bought one, and it was indeed delicious *(Counterfeit stuff tastes pretty good, but in the end it's really crap.)* , but my palette has matured since then, and I think it may have very well been a conterfeit. My memory fails me frequently, though!
> 
> ...


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## Uniputt (Nov 23, 2004)

Okay....I read the above referenced link, and have been following it since it's inception. (Good info, by the way...).

According to the information contained therein, the box codes that begin with XX and XY are "reinspected" boxes. 

Are fakes "reinspected"? Why would a counterfieter do this rather than just use a "more conventional" seal? Seems odd to me.

 Confused a bit here.......a bit of clarity would be appreciated.

Originally Posted by Gordon in NM
Almost assuredly they are revisados or have been otherwise opened for inspection. The box was opened for inspection by the appropriate authorities and resealed for sale with the XY warranty seal. Both XX and XY prefixes are known to be used for this.
FIM FEB05 is a solid P2 box code. I have a box with the same code from an unimpeachable vendor.

You're fine,

Gordo 



Uniputt wrote:

Am I to assume that since the box has been inspected by the "appropriate authorities" it is is genuine, in this case? I mean, wouldn't this be a great indication that someone (who has a definite, vested interest in stopping fakes) has given their "stamp" (or in this case) "seal" of approval?

Considering if all else looks good, microprinting, bands, date codes, etc., wouldn't this be a good sign that it was a genuine article?


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## pinoyman (Jan 28, 2005)

Uniputt said:


> Okay....I read the above referenced link, and have been following it since it's inception. (Good info, by the way...).
> 
> According to the information contained therein, the box codes that begin with XX and XY are "reinspected" boxes.
> 
> ...


Revisado or reinspected is legit cubans regardless of the brand. they do that for quality control purposes. but that doesn't mean that the box your talking about is real! My point is, XX S.N. do exist, but of course thay can always print one or maybe they selling a real cubans, but what they got is a box of Revisado. still up to how the cigar taste like when you smoke it.
Like Mo said, Fakes taste good too! I believed Him...

Salud!


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## RPB67 (Mar 26, 2005)

This tournament is on US soil. I dont think that the PGA is going to risk anything by letting someone sell Cubans at their Tournament. The PGA has way to much to loose in tournament and endorsement money. They have to be fakes for them to get away with this.

If tournament is not on US soil they could be real. Then it doesnt matter.

Those tournaments are alot of fun to go to. I hope you had fun.


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